Overview 6 min read

Adding and importing documents in PaperOffice AI: the complete guide

Overview: which way fits

Every document in PaperOffice AI lives in a workspace. If you do not have one yet, create it first: How do I create workspaces in PaperOffice AI? Then choose the way that fits your situation:

  • A few single files: Add document in the workspace.
  • An existing archive as a ZIP file or from your own storage: the import wizard Import documents.
  • A mailbox where invoices arrive: once with the import wizard, continuously with a connector.
  • Paper in the office: a network scanner that sends scans straight to PaperOffice AI.
  • On the go: the smartphone.

Whichever way you choose, every document is processed according to the AI-DMS tier of its workspace.

Upload single files

  1. Open Document AI → Workspaces and open the workspace, or open its documents directly.
  2. In the toolbar, click Add document. This button is shown when no document is selected.
  3. On the File tab, drag files onto the upload area or browse for them. Several files are allowed, and you can paste with Ctrl+V.
  4. Wait for the duplicate check. Then click the start button, which names the number of files. Only this click starts the transfer.

If a file is missing afterwards, the start button was usually not clicked, no workspace was open, or the Credits were used up.

Import an archive with the import wizard

Larger stores, for example an export from PaperOffice Classic, folder trees or large ZIP files, go through the import wizard:

  1. Open Document AI → Workspaces and select the target workspace.
  2. Choose Actions → Import documents.
  3. Choose the source. Computer & network takes a ZIP file from your computer, up to 5 GB and 2000 files. Storage mount imports from SFTP, S3 or WebDAV; the mount must be set up as an import source. Email Archive imports from a saved mailbox.
  4. For a ZIP file, wait until the transfer has finished. For a storage mount, choose the mount and the source folder.
  5. Check the summary: the wizard counts files, size and folders. Skip duplicates automatically is selected by default, so content that is already in the workspace is not imported again.
  6. Start the import and follow the progress.

SMB and Windows shares are not a source type. For larger stores than a ZIP file allows, use a storage mount. Coming from Classic? Export the documents as original files there first: From PaperOffice Classic to PaperOffice AI.

Fetch documents from a mailbox

A mailbox is connected as a storage mount of the type Email (IMAP):

  1. Open Document AI → Storage Mounts and click Add Storage Mount.
  2. Choose Use as import source and the connection type Email (IMAP).
  3. Enter the IMAP server, port 993, the username or email address and the password, keep SSL/TLS switched on, test the connection and save. If your provider requires an app password, enter that one.

For older emails, run the import wizard once with the source Email Archive. For new emails, create a connector: open Document AI → Connectors, click Create connector, choose the mailbox and the target workspace, set the polling interval and the follow-up action after import. The connector fetches only new emails, at most every 5 minutes. Identical content is not imported twice.

Scan with a network scanner

Your network scanner or multifunction printer can send scans straight to PaperOffice AI. PaperOffice provides a private SFTP inbox for it:

  1. Open Document AI → Storage Mounts and click Add Storage Mount. Choose Use as import source and the connection type Provide as Scanner Endpoint.
  2. Click Activate Endpoint and copy the access details and the target folder /inbox.
  3. Create a connector for this storage mount and the target workspace.
  4. On the scanner, add an SFTP destination with host sftp.paperoffice.ai, port 2022, folder /inbox and the copied access details.

Scan to email, scan to an SMB folder, and FTPS or WebDAV at the inbox are not possible. The access details cannot be changed afterwards; for new ones, delete the endpoint and create it again. Help: Scan straight into PaperOffice AI with a network scanner.

Scan with the smartphone

In the mobile app, choose the workspace, then scan with the camera or upload an existing file. Without a network, the document waits in a queue and is transferred later. Help: Capture a document on a smartphone.

After import: processing and the page limit

Storing and processing are two steps. The import copies the files into the workspace; afterwards, the AI-DMS tier of the workspace processes them. While processing runs, the search cannot yet find the document by its content. A workspace with Storage only stores files without starting any processing.

The workspace has a page limit for processing. The default is 20 pages per document, and the maximum is 40. Pages beyond the limit are not processed by AI-DMS. You set the limit when creating or editing the workspace.

Import and processing consume Credits from the organization. If they are used up, the import waits until Credits are available again.

Folders

In PaperOffice AI, the folder tree shows the storage path of each document. Subfolders from a ZIP file or a storage mount are kept in that path. The folder view is for filtering and navigating; it is not a file explorer for creating empty folders.

With Actions → New Folder, you group selected documents into a document folder. You need at least two documents for this.

Document types

A document type says what kind of document it is and which rules belong to it: classification, retention and optionally a default IDP agent. Processing recognizes a type and suggests where to file the document.

  1. Open Document AI → Document types and click New document type.
  2. Fill in the dialog, including the legal region, the default IDP agent, the retention and the templates, and save.

Trash

Select documents in the workspace and choose Actions → Move to trash. In workspaces with security tier Business or Compliance, the document leaves the normal list but is not deleted permanently at that moment. Workspaces with security tier Standard have no trash: there, documents are deleted permanently right away, and the app warns you beforehand.

The root account and administrators find Trash at the end of the workspace list. There they restore documents or empty the trash. Emptying the trash removes the documents immediately and permanently. Deleting a whole workspace is a different, permanent action.

Frequently asked questions

  • How large may a ZIP file be? Up to 5 GB and 2000 files. For larger stores, use a storage mount.
  • Can I import from a Windows share? No. SMB and Windows shares are not a source type. Use SFTP, S3 or WebDAV.
  • Why can't the search find my new document? Processing is still running, or the document sits in a workspace you cannot see.
  • Are duplicates imported twice? No. Identical content is skipped.
  • Is a document deleted immediately when I move it to the trash? In Business and Compliance workspaces, no: it is removed permanently only when the trash is emptied or after the retention period. Standard workspaces have no trash; there, deleting is permanent right away.